Prices are now 19.4x higher than in 1943
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, something that cost $100 in 1943 costs about $1,936.30 today. The inflation rate in 1943 was 6.1%, and total inflation from 1943 to August 2026 was 1,836%.
The federal minimum wage was $0.30 an hour at the end of 1943, or about $5.81 an hour in today's dollars.
The S&P 500 index started 1943 at 10.09. With dividends reinvested, $100 invested in the S&P 500 in 1943 would have grown to about $1,104,210.31 by 2026, before adjusting for inflation.
Some costs rose much faster than others. Compared with overall inflation, heating oil rose the most since 1943 (218% more than inflation), and eggs rose the least (75% less).
| All prices, on average | $1,936.30 |
| Food | $2,036.82 |
| Eggs | $480.67 |
| Milk | $1,091.39 |
| Bread | $3,076.01 |
| Meat | $2,437.30 |
| Sugar and sweets | $2,272.97 |
| Rent | $1,803.27 |
| Electricity | $1,079.52 |
Cost of living in 1943 by category
The Bureau of Labor Statistics began publishing average prices for individual items in 1980. For 1943, these comparisons use the consumer price index for each spending category: each row shows what something that cost $100 in 1943 costs in August 2026, and how that compares with overall inflation of 1,836%.
Food & drink
| Category | $100 in 1943 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $100 in 1943 today$2,036.82 | Compared with inflation5% more than inflation |
| Eggs | $100 in 1943 today$480.67 | Compared with inflation75% less than inflation |
| Milk | $100 in 1943 today$1,091.39 | Compared with inflation44% less than inflation |
| Bread | $100 in 1943 today$3,076.01 | Compared with inflation59% more than inflation |
| Meat | $100 in 1943 today$2,437.30 | Compared with inflation26% more than inflation |
| Sugar and sweets | $100 in 1943 today$2,272.97 | Compared with inflation17% more than inflation |
Housing & energy
| Category | $100 in 1943 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $100 in 1943 today$1,803.27 | Compared with inflation7% less than inflation |
| Electricity | $100 in 1943 today$1,079.52 | Compared with inflation44% less than inflation |
| Natural gas | $100 in 1943 today$2,148.90 | Compared with inflation11% more than inflation |
| Heating oil | $100 in 1943 today$6,159.91 | Compared with inflation218% more than inflation |
Transportation
| Category | $100 in 1943 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $100 in 1943 today$2,349.64 | Compared with inflation21% more than inflation |
| Public transportation | $100 in 1943 today$3,148.00 | Compared with inflation63% more than inflation |
Other costs
| Category | $100 in 1943 today | Compared with inflation |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | $100 in 1943 today$488.11 | Compared with inflation75% less than inflation |
| Medical care | $100 in 1943 today$5,293.54 | Compared with inflation173% more than inflation |
Frequently asked questions
How much is $1 from 1943 worth today?
$1 in 1943 has about the same buying power as $19.36 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index.
What was the inflation rate in 1943?
The U.S. inflation rate in 1943 was 6.1%, measured as the change in the consumer price index from 1942 to 1943.
What was the minimum wage in 1943?
The federal minimum wage at the end of 1943 was $0.30 an hour, or about $5.81 an hour in today's dollars.
Which costs rose the most since 1943?
Of the spending categories tracked since 1943, heating oil rose the most relative to overall inflation: something that cost $100 in 1943 costs about $6159.91 today. Eggs rose the least, to about $480.67.
Where these numbers come from
Category comparisons use the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index for each category, from the 1943 annual average to August 2026. Overall inflation uses the same consumer price index as our 1943 inflation calculator. The federal minimum wage is from the U.S. Department of Labor, via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. S&P 500 values are from Robert Shiller's historical stock market data.
Prices in other years
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- 1919
- 1920
- 1921
- 1922
- 1923
- 1924
- 1925
- 1926
- 1927
- 1928
- 1929
- 1930
- 1931
- 1932
- 1933
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- 1936
- 1937
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- 1939
- 1940
- 1941
- 1942
- 1943
- 1944
- 1945
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- 1949
- 1950
- 1951
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- 1953
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- 1955
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- 1960
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- 1967
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- 1969
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- 1977
- 1978
- 1979
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
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- 1987
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- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
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- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
| All prices, on average | $1,936.30 |
| Food | $2,036.82 |
| Eggs | $480.67 |
| Milk | $1,091.39 |
| Bread | $3,076.01 |
| Meat | $2,437.30 |
| Sugar and sweets | $2,272.97 |
| Rent | $1,803.27 |
| Electricity | $1,079.52 |